One Step Away
by Tauna Petit-Strawn
Summary: The Barkleys are shocked to find that Heath, who has left home on a business trip, is not coming back...and may never come back. More details at the beginning of Chapter One. Not much drama, just a tiny "hic cup" as it were,
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

A/N This is a "what if" story only it took a bit to get it going just because I wanted to make sure I was making it Heath's story, not simply putting him in his brother's place. No, I'm not saying which brother or which episode I'm talking about because it's very obvious in the next chapter….and flat out spelled out in the 3rd chapter. There are a few facts that don't change just because of the premise. However, there is nothing else I can see that is the same. I hope I do this story justice. And, no, I'm not writing two stories at once. The other one was finished a couple of weeks ago.

** ~oOo~**

McColl was hammering a nail into the corral fence; one of the boards had been busted the day before, when Nick walked up to him. The foreman could see the look of concern in the dark haired rancher's eyes. Seeing how Heath was due back from Lodi that very day; he'd left to do some ranch business, the long time foreman figured he knew was what wrong. However, he said nothing as Nick rested his arms on top of the fence. Only when his boss started talking did McColl quit hammering.

"He should be back by now." Nick said out loud, though he had his eyes on the road that led up to the house and corrals. Okay, so he wasn't technically late yet, but Nick was impatient to see the contracts that his brother was suppose to have on him.

"He'll be here. Don't you worry 'bout that," McColl assured him. If he'd learned anything about the blonde haired cowboy was that he was reliable and honest, and he loved the ranch as much as Nick did.

"He'd better be," Nick growled as he turned away from the fence. "There's work to be done." He headed back towards the house as he'd forgotten he needed to sit down with Jarrod and go over some contracts they'd made the week before.

McColl watched Nick disappear into the house and then turned his attention to the horizon. Where was Heath? In all honesty, it was a question that was bothering McColl as well; he just hadn't wanted to admit that to Nick. No, his boss was on edge as it was. The last thing McColl wanted to do was be the one to push the rancher over that edge. Sighing, McColl went back to work. He wasn't going to get anything done if he didn't get back to work.

**~oOo~**

Jarrod, who had watched Nick walk over to the window more than once, sat back in his chair as the hot tempered for the window once more. "Making friends with that window isn't going to get Heath here any faster." Jarrod wasn't surprised when Nick turned back towards him and scowled.

"I'm sorry, Jarrod. I know the contracts are important only I've been feeling uneasy all morning. It wouldn't be so bad only the feeling only grows worse every time I start thinking about Heath. Call me crazy, call me whatever only I can't help but think something's wrong."

Jarrod sighed as he recalled the previous night and how lousy he'd slept himself or the dream he'd had. It was a dream that he'd had the past two nights. Now listening to Nick, he found the dream on his mind once more.

J_arrod could see himself standing in the center of some place, but where that place was he could not tell. He could see Heath and another fellow, an older man with white hair, but whose face was blurred in the dream, sitting within a few feet of each other laughing and talking while a young woman sat nearby reading a book. Once again, the young woman's appearance was blurred and Jarrod could not tell what the girl looked like. Only the talk stopped abruptly and pure unadulterated shock and terror filled the dream as both men jumped up and yelled. The next thing Jarrod knew he was yelling for Heath only the blonde haired cowboy was nowhere in sight, nor was anyone, or anything, else._

"I know." Jarrod stood up and walked around the front of his desk, then leaned backwards, the palms of his hands resting on the furniture. "Truth be told I've been feeling rather uneasy myself only what do we do? It's not like Heath was due in this morning. He's simply due in sometime today."

Nick wanted to tell his brother that shouldn't matter. If they both felt the same way, something had to be dreadfully wrong. Only problem was, if they took off too look for Heath, their mother and sister would surely want Jarrod and himself to justify their actions when Heath wasn't overdue. Just as Nick started to open his mouth Audra came barreling into the room looking more than a bit unsettled. It made both men jump.

"What is it, Audra? What's wrong?" Nick asked as he threw a glance towards Jarrod, one that said 'this is about Heath. Just you watch and see'.

Audra fought to control the fear inside her as she replied. "A white haired gentleman and a young woman are riding towards the house."

Nick's first reaction would have been to throw up his hands and ask why that was a problem only there had to be more to it than that for his sister to look as troubled as she was. On the other hand, the first thing Jarrod felt when he heard his sister's words was fear, and it reached and gripped his heart so hard it hurt. "And this unsettles you why?" He forced himself to ask the question even if his voice sounded as if it was a hundred miles away.

"Because, the older gentleman is leading Charger; Heath isn't with him!" Audra explained, and then watched as Nick and Jarrod bolted out of the study, down the hall and out the front door. Sure enough, a man who looked to be in his late forties, early fifties, with pure white hair and a young woman who looked to be about seventeen were almost to the house. It was all the brothers could do not to run to the man and start demanding an explanation only he was so close that such an action made no sense.

The gentleman, one Jeremiah Thornton, saw the brothers bolt out the door. Since he's seen a young woman look his way, turn and then run into the house, he figured he had the right place. Then again, he couldn't imagine finding two places like this within ten miles of each other. As he stopped in front of the two gentlemen Jeremiah knew he was right when the tall gentleman dressed all in black put his hands on his hip. More than a bit anxious to know what was going on, Nick asked the older gentleman rather abruptly, and in a not so friendly tone of voice, "What are you doing with that horse, and where's our brother!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Nick stood in the living room near the fireplace and watched as Jarrod, who stood near the living room table, poured a drink and handed it to their guest. Their visitor had first introduced himself as he dismounted his horse. Jarrod had then invited him in while young woman went with Audra 'for a small tour of the ranch'.

"So, start talking," Nick snapped once their guest had his drink in his hand.

"Nick," Jarrod gave his brother a look that begged the man not to lose his temper before their guest had a chance to explain things. And Jarrod wanted answers, especially since he'd felt the blood drain from his face the moment he saw the gentleman and the young woman. He might not have seen their faces in his dreams; still, somehow he _knew _it was these exact people he'd been dreaming about. That fact alone had him feeling extremely concerned for Heath.

Mr. Thornton suddenly felt as if he'd aged fifty years. Everything inside him told him that the two men in front of him deserved every last detail he could give them, only he couldn't do that. He'd made a promise to the blonde haired cowboy he and his granddaughter had crossed paths with. After all, the man had saved his granddaughter's life. "I can't tell you everything." Mr. Thornton said as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out two envelopes. "When your brother and I parted ways I had made him two promises. One, to make sure the contracts he had on him were brought back here." He looked from Jarrod to Nick. "And I promised to deliver these letters along with the contracts." He lifted up the envelopes. Since Jarrod was standing in a position to see what was written on the envelopes, he saw '_Jarrod'_ written on one, _'Nick'_ on the other second one and _Mine Business_ on the third. The words were written in Heath's handwriting.

"What's in the ones with our names?" Nick asked as he stepped closer and saw the names too, getting more than an uneasy feeling as he did so. For Heath to have someone else deliver the business envelope, to have that same stranger bring Charger back with him and to have envelopes with his and Jarrod's names on them…it all spelled bad news in capital letters.

"That I can only guess on Mr. Barkley," Mr. Thornton sighed as he looked at the envelopes and then looked questioningly at the brothers. As he did so Nick took his envelope and Jarrod took his, along with the one that held the business papers Heath had taken with him. "I saw your brother write those letters, but I have not read them. And," he looked sympathetically upon Nick, remembering all Heath had told him about the dark haired rancher, "I sincerely wish I could give you the answers to the questions I know are running through your mind."

"Are you able to tell us anything?" Nick asked, a feeling of urgency now replacing the one of unease.

"_Don't tell them what happened. Everything I want them to know is in these letters." Heath stood on the edge of the woods the Thorntons had been camping in. "Promise me, you'll take Charger here to Nick, give him these legal papers on the mine I checked into and give them the letters. That is it."_

_ "I owe you greatly, but surely you should go home. Your family should be told what's happened." Mr. Thornton did not like the idea of Heath Barkley simply riding off to who knows where, not after what he'd done for them._

_ Heath gave him a small crooked smile and gave him a light tap on the shoulder before mounting his horse. "I've been alone before. Just do as I ask, okay?" Then, knowing Nick and Jarrod would want to know why a total stranger would be doing as Heath asked, he added, "You can always say you're doing this for your granddaughter."_

"All I can say is that I only consented to making this trip and delivering those letters because of my granddaughter. Jessica and I met your brother while we were resting alongside the roadside just outside a wooded area. You're brother helped her out." _'That's a funny way of saying he saved Jessica's life without flatting out telling them what happened' _Mr. Thornton thought as he continued on. "We had the best conversation. He's quite the man. Please, do not ask me anymore. There's nothing more that I can tell you." Mr. Thornton replied, and then excused himself. "I need to get my granddaughter and go. We need to catch our train soon." He then turned and forced himself to walk out of the house, for he greatly disagreed with the way the man called Heath Barkley was handling things. Only problem was, he had already made a promise and he didn't break things like that.

Neither Nick nor Jarrod wanted the man to leave without telling them everything only they could tell the man wasn't going to talk. Once the door shut behind their guest Jarrod excused himself and headed back to the study. Nick didn't argue as it meant he could read the letter Heath had written. Walking over to the chair nearest the living room entrance, Nick sat down, tore the envelope open and began reading.

_Dear Nick,_

_ I know you will be angry and upset by the time you open this letter. After all, Mr. Thornton will not be in a position to give you answers to your questions due to a promise I asked him to make me. And, as much as it tears me apart, I cannot get myself to give you any answers at this time._

Nick stopped reading as he read that line. What on earth did Heath mean he couldn't give him any answers? Weren't they as close as brothers could be? Oh sure, they'd had their rough periods only the man was his left arm now. Angry, upset? Sure he was only he was more worried and hurt than anything. After a moment to try to get a handle on the emotions now running through him, Nick continued to read only to have another wave of shock go through him.

_As much as I hate it, I have to go awhile for awhile, for everyone's sake. Yes, it's very necessary, though I wish with everything I have inside of me it wasn't. I also need to tell you that if I'm not back in sixty days then I'm not coming back. _

Nick couldn't believe what he'd just read. If his brother wasn't back in two months he wasn't coming back? What on earth was going on? He looked back at the letter.

_Please, Nick, find a way to deal with your feelings other than making life miserable for the family or taking it out on the men. None of them deserve it. Just know you are the best brother a man could ask for. Please, continue to watch over mother and Audra. Mother's something else and, someday, when Audra matures a bit more, I'm sure she will be too. _

_ I am also asking, no begging, you to watch over Charger. He means the world to me; I will never forget the day you gave him to me. It will mean a lot to me if you were the one to take care of him._

_Thanks for being my brother._

_Love_

_Heath_

By the time Nick finished reading his letter he didn't just feel strongly something was amiss; he _knew _something was dreadfully wrong. There was no way Heath would just turn his back on Charger. When he looked up from his letter, Jarrod was standing in the living room once more, the letter he'd been given in his hand.

The two brothers looked at each other as if one could read the mind of the other one. Someone might have thought they had as Jarrod folded his letter and said, "Do I contact the Pinkerton Agency and you talk to mother, or do we do it the other way around?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Jarrod sat down next to his mother on a bench his father had long ago placed in his mother's rose garden. He had told her of Mr. Thornton's visit and of the letters Heath had written to Nick and him. Afterwards he'd had let her read his letter herself. Understandably, his mother was more than a bit upset.

"I don't get it. What has happened that he would simply leave us with no explanation?" Victoria turned and looked at Jarrod, her eyes pleading for him to tell her he knew more than he'd said.

Jarrod felt the weight of the world upon his shoulders as he had a portion of his letter come back to him.

_"From what I've been told, and from all I've seen, I know the family has leaned on you many times for the simple fact that you're the oldest and very responsible. For that reason, I want to say I'm sorry for the burden that is now once again yours, only it will be worse this time because you have no answers to give anyone. For that, I am truly sorry. I hope someday you can forgive me; I just can't tell you what's going on right now." _Heath had gone on to ask Jarrod to watch over Hannah if he did not return._ "Don't bother going to Strawberry looking for me. Yes, I've made arrangements for her care until I return. However, if I don't come back after two months, I beg of you to make sure she's taken care of." "Please, let mother and our siblings know I love them dearly. I'd write them too only Mr. Thornton only has so much paper on him. _Heath had then gone on to suggest they simply tell people he was away taking care of some personal business, as that would take any added stress off the family. Heath had added towards the end of the letter _'If I come back, I'll tell you everything. If not, I'm made arrangements for someone else too.'_

Along with the contents of the letter, Jarrod ran the dream of his though his mind once more. Kind of hard not to when he'd had the same exact dream the night before, only this time, at the end of it, he could see his father standing nearby. He was telling Jarrod he knew that Jarrod didn't know what was going on and wished with all he had that he, Tom, could tell him everything. Only problem was, he, Tom, hadn't been told everything. Tom had then begged him to join forces with Nick and find Heath the moment they had a place to begin looking, to bring him back to the ranch no matter what the problem was. After all, Heath was family and, no matter what the problem was, Heath needed to let the family help him.

"I don't know." Jarrod rested his elbows on his knees while clasping his hands together, a slight breeze blowing across his face as he did so. "Let's just hope that the Pinkertons will be able to find him for us, or at least get us a lead so Nick and I will have a place to start looking. And we will look and, if at all possible, we will find him. I promise you that much." 'For better or for worse' were added only in his silent thoughts. His mother did not need to hear such words at the moment.

Victoria nodded as she rested the side of her head against her oldest son's shoulder. The rest of the words her blond haired stepson had written in the letter to Jarrod were fresh in her mind, especially where he talked about her. She knew Heath had meant them as words of comfort only where was the comfort in not knowing why he was leaving in the manner he was? What would have been so wrong in coming home and explaining everything first? As it was, she feared she would never see him again and never have any of the answers to the questions the family had been left with. Of course, the whole time she was thinking she vowed to hug Heath tightly when he returned. Well, after she'd laid into him and given him a piece of her mind first. "I know you and Nick will do all you can. You always do." She spoke quietly as a single tear escaped own her cheek; the rest would fall later, unseen by any of her children.

** ~oOo~**

Heath sat in front of the campfire he had built gazing into the dancing flames as he ran through a list of things he'd done before starting this unplanned trip up to a cabin an old friend had told him about more than once in the past. Slowly he pulled a small, white paper out from his shirt pocket and looked over it. It was a list of things he'd need to make sure was done before he disappeared up into the Sierras. As he'd done each necessary item, he'd cross them out. Things like…Letters to family, Provisions for two months, and a few other items. Once he was satisfied he hadn't forgotten anything, Heath finished his supper. He then stoked the fire again and laid out his bedroll. He had to get some rest and morning came early. Unfortunately that meant sleeping and dreaming.

_ "It's always nice to meet a new friend." Mr. Thornton stood up and shook Heath's hand as the blond haired cowboy approached him and his granddaughter while they were sitting around their campfire surrounded by the tall, majestic trees. The older gentleman introduced himself and then gestured towards Jessica. "This is my granddaughter, Jessica Holman."_

_ Once more Heath was talking to Mr. Thornton, each giving the other causal information about themselves. Mr. Thornton learning why Heath had the extra horse with him and Heath learning that Mr. Thornton had traveled to Modesto to visit his daughter and son in law only to be asked if he'd accompany Jessica to the college she would be attending. The visit was going well and then things had changed. Their horses had grown nervous, they'd heard a horrible sound and then, before they knew it a wolf had jumped out of some nearby trees and went for Jessica. Without half thinking Heath had thrown himself between the wild animal and the young woman, feeling the pain of the wolf's teeth tearing into the flesh of his lower right leg._

Heath, who had been fast asleep, sat straight up and shivered. Mr. Thornton had killed the animal, cauterized the wound and then they'd traveled to the nearest town. The doctor had taken a look at the wound after being told by the two men that the wolf had been rabid, cleaned it up and rewrapped it. It was the man's words afterwards that had driven him away from his family.

_ "Signs of rabies are irritability, fits of rage and headaches." The man had given him some medicine to help with the headaches, but had nothing to offer when it came to giving Heath any hope. "If you are alive in sixty days, most likely you'll remain that way; if not…." The man had not finished his sentence as Heath had stopped him.  
_  
Once his breathing had slowed down to a normal rate, Heath laid back down. As he did so he thought on the two main reasons he was high-tailing it to the cabin his friend had told him about instead of going back to the ranch. One; in his eyes, if he was indeed dying, he not only dreaded he idea of his family watching him die, he feared hurting, maybe even killing one of them if he had one of these fits of rage the doctor talked about. And, two, he'd made promises to his friend. They were promises he'd intended long before now only his, Heath's, mother had told him who his father was and had passed away shortly afterwards.

As Heath lay doing his best to relax and get some sleep he thought on that friend, one Marvin Driskell. He'd met Marvin during the war and seen him off and on through the years afterwards. Though, unlike most of his friends, Marvin had his head on straighter than any of the others. He, like Heath, worked hard and kept his word in spite of the fact that his father had not been around. Of course, in Marvin's case, Heath had learned the man had no father around because the man had been killed when Marvin was just an infant.

Marvin, Heath thought as he yawned and continued thinking on the promises he had made the man the last time he'd seen him, which ironically was on the man's death bed. Heath again wished he'd kept the promises sooner. The one consolation he'd had in the past was Marvin had only asked him keep the promises if he happened to be in 'that' area. _'I don't want you to go out of your way to do so'_ had been the man's exact words. Heath had never had cause to go up to the cabin his friend talked about, never had a need to be in that part of the Sierras. Now, Heath felt an urgency to do just that. If he was to die, he didn't want to leave the world with the promises to his friend not kept.

** ~oOo~**

A/N As I said at the beginning of Chapter One…some facts I could not change. However, sorry to all the Tommy fans…there's no Tommy, no Julia and, as you can see, no Willow Springs. I didn't feel like I could keep any of that and make it strictly Heath's story. And, due to conversations I've had with a few people, all I can say is it's NOT my intention to have Heath die. With that said, all I can honestly promise is to fight like crazy to keep him alive if I start feeling that coming. So far, that is not that case thank goodness!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

A/N There will be episodes mentioned that may or may not be in order they actually came in. Since this is A/U anyway, don't think it really matters.

Guest: I was told more than once in college to never assume anything.

** ~oOo~**

As Heath pushed the horse he was riding forward; he barely noticed the trees that were beginning to appear more and more. His mind was on his family and all the good times, along with the bad, they'd had. The first memory, of course, was when he met Nick on the bridge. He couldn't help let out a small chuckle, even if the memory now brought a bittersweet feeling to him. He then began running through all his other memories. He could see Jarrod handing him the cigar at Sample's farm and hear Nick bellowing in the dining room. Of course, Heath had never told Nick he could hear him the moment he stepped into the house. Why should he when it was already a known fact that the moment Nick started yelling everyone, and everything, in the house could hear him?

Heath shuttered slightly as he could Audra standing with a pistol in her hands and Handy Random dead on the ground, and then chuckled as he thought on Eugene. That boy might not be around a lot only contributed just as much to the family as did anyone else. Hadn't it been Eugene that had fetched the doctor who knew all about 'those things called germs' in order to save the cattle? Okay, the poor boy had to suffer teasing from Nick and himself as they joked about the germs and fairies. The chuckle quickly died out though as Heath thought on just how far the lad's schooling and occupation was really taking him. The family seldom saw him anymore. Though, to Gene's credit, the boy was writing constantly.

Heath's mind then turned to Victoria. It never ceased to amaze him how she'd opened up her arms and welcomed him into the family. Not many women he knew of would accept their husband's bastard child into their home the way she had…or defend him the way she did. She would always hold a special place in his heart, no matter what happened.

As the last of the memories ran through his mind, Heath thought on the letter he'd left with the small town attorney who lived in Lodi. He had paid the man well to deliver the letter to the family if he, Heath, did not return within the time he'd specified. If it came down to that, all Heath could do was pray that his family would, eventually, forgive him. As hurt as they might be, he did not wish to put them in harm's way.

Heath was so lost in his thoughts that he had to quickly duck to avoid hitting a branch, one that was protruding out of a tree that stood alongside the path he traveling on. "Boy howdy," he muttered himself, "best keep my attention on the road if I don't want to land on my back." Anything else he was going to say never came out of his mouth as he heard the snapping of a twig. Without half thinking, he had his rifle out of its sheath and ready to fire it if necessary.

"Put the gun away, mister. Ain't no one around out to kill ya." A gentleman who stood at least six feet five with black hair that to the middle of his back and a beard to match, the beard was just as long, walked out through the trees and out onto the road. The stranger had buckskin pants, a white shirt and a buckskin jacket whose sleeves were line with fringes, along with brown boots that went clear up to the man's knees.

Heath found himself quite irritated to find himself with unwanted company, and almost snapped at the man. While he was able to control the impulse, it unsettled Heath since he didn't know if he was irritable because he was overly tense or if it was actually a sign of rabies that most likely lived inside him now. "Sorry, you caught me off guard." Heath kept the apology short, hoping the man wouldn't take up too much of his, Heath's, time.

Andrew W Philips was a fifty year old mountain man. He'd roamed hills and mountains since his parents had been killed by the Sioux, and that had been twenty five years ago. Not that he'd been alone all that time, he hadn't. He'd had a wife and son, but his wife had died when his son was ten; where the boy was now was anybody's guess. Andrew had met many men in those years and he knew when someone didn't want company. However, unlike many men, Andrew also had the gift of knowing when someone needed company. He was also bright enough to know the blonde haired stranger wasn't going to just invite him along for the ride either. Well, he'd tracked many things in his life, guess he could track this fellow and keep an eye on him. "I'm the one who should be apologizin'," Andrew smiled and gave the raccoon hat he wore a slight tip, "I do have a tendency ta walk too quiet fer most men. It's a habit I've developed over the years, come in handy more than once." Okay, so the fact that he'd made friends with a few good Indians and other mountain men through the years and they'd taught him to walk so as to be unheard was beside the point. Though, in this case, the talent of walking without being heard might come in handy.

Heath slid his rifle back into its sheath. "Well, you really should be careful not to spook a man. It could get you killed." He snapped ever so slightly, wishing the man would just leave him alone.

"I should at that." Mr. Philips said as he walked across the path and disappeared through the trees on the opposite side. Since it's not like the trees were standing right next to each, it sent more than one chill down Heath's back as he watched the man practically disappear right in front of his eyes even if that wasn't the case. Though, Heath didn't linger and ponder on it. He had a trip to make and the sooner he made it the better.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Heath sat on top of hill surrounded by Pine trees. Down the hill, and roughly two hundred feet from the bottom of that same hill, sat an old, worn down log cabin which, if his memory served him correctly, Marvin Driskell said only had one bedroom. There was a window on each side of the door; the one to the right was slightly bigger than the one on the left. The door appeared to be a bit crooked, so he assumed that meant that the closer he got to the place he'd see that the door was barely hanging onto its hitches. Its roof was an eyesore too. Also, an old worn down "barn" stood roughly forty feet from the cabin. It looked as if someone had used it for target practice, though the roof appeared to be in decent enough shape. For now that's all that mattered, for it meant the horse he rode would stay dry if it should rain.

Heath pushed the horse forward wishing he had Charger with him only he hadn't dared bring the animal. The horse would have been with him, but Heath cared too much about his friend than to risk dying and having no one to care for the animal. As it was, he wasn't sure what he was going to do about this horse if push came to shove. By the time he reached the cabin, Heath was more than ready to lead the horse into the barn. "Well, boy," Heath said as he took off the saddle and gear on the stallion's back. "This will have to do for now." He then led the animal into the stall that was in the best condition. After shutting the stall doors, he picked up his saddlebags and bedroll and started to walk towards the barns open door. Actually, there was only a doorway. The door itself lay off to the left and on the ground.

His intention was to go into the cabin and look around, only Heath hadn't gotten ten feet when the worst pain he'd ever felt exploded in his head. It was so bad that he let out painful gasp, dropped his gear and grabbed his head; he then closed his eyes and dropped to the ground. As hard as it was, he managed to lie on his side and slide his hand into his coat pocket. With his hand shaking, Heath pulled the pill box he'd been given and took a pill out. Only after he'd taken the pill, and the pain had subsided some, was Heath able to sit up. When he did so, he quickly looked around feeling as if someone was watching the whole scene. When he saw no one, Heath stood up and automatically put his hand near his gun. If someone was out there, he best not let his guard down. The last thing he wanted at the moment was company. Only when he became convinced no one was around, did Heath slowly relax and pick up his gear. In no time at all he had set his gear on a dusty old cot that sat against the east wall of the dilapidated cabin. Heath remembered Marvin Driskell saying his friend, a man old enough to be his grandfather, had been an old prospector who did not believe in putting good furniture into a building that was only used for a few months out of the year. Heath looked around the room and sighed. The place had the bare necessities; a table, a couple of chairs, the cot and an old rocking chair that sat by the fireplace carved out of the south wall. The other walls were bare except for an old faded picture that hung over the fireplace. In many ways it reminded him of his childhood; his mother and her friends, his friends; they never had much either.

"Well, I started out my life in a simple home." Heath spoke only to himself, as he walked into the kitchen that sat next to the living room; there was no barrier between the two rooms. Soon Heath was unloading the supplies he'd brought with him either in the empty cupboards or in the drawers next to the sink. "I guess I can take my last breath in such a place too." He looked around the place making a mental note of everything that needed fixing. He would have to take a look in the bedroom whose door stood five feet from the fireplace and see what it needed. _'I know my friend has passed on, only I promised him I'd see to it that the old cabin was fixed up. Only problem is, I ain't gonna make it up there. If you could do that while you look …"_ His friend's words rang in Heath's ear, along with the rest of what he'd said. "I guess I better look around the place and then take a better look in that barn. Gotta see if all the materials Marvin talked about are indeed still there, I…." He quit talking as he heard footsteps outside. Again, his had automatically moved towards his pistol.

Andrew Philips had had no intention of actually making his presence known again, except he'd seen Heath grab his head and collapse. Mr. Phillips might not know what was wrong, or if there was anything he could really do, only he still found a force he did not understand pulling him to actually approach the cabin and the stranger. Due to the fact that there were no curtains on the windows both men could see each other through the glass. Told ya before, no need to go fer your gun," he spoke loud enough to be heard through the open doorway.

"How can I help you?" Heath asked as he stepped out of the cabin and onto the porch, keeping his hand near his pistol.

'Tell me why I'm the one that keeps findin' the hurt stray' thought Andrew as he recalled what he'd witnessed a few moments ago. Of course, it was a thought he kept to himself as he said, "No need to be so defensive," He said as he looked at the position of Heath's hand. "Iff'n ya plan ta move in you'll need help fixin' the roof up enough to keep the rain off it." The gentleman pointed up towards the sky. "Rain'll be fallin' by tomorrow mornin', if not sooner. Don't reckon ya got what ya need to fix that thing," Andrew then pointed to the roof.

Heath didn't really want the company, or the help, only problem was, he knew if a storm hit anytime soon, which it did look as if a storm was rolling in, he'd have rain up to his ears inside the cabin. If the man was going to be good enough to help…..Heath sighed and prayed any headaches would stay away until the roof was repaired and he could get the man to leave. He also prayed the irritability he was still feeling would remain at a dull roar. "I'd appreciate that, but only if you understand I'm not really up to company, so I won't exactly be visiting you."

Andrew would have told Heath he wasn't surprised to hear it, only then Heath would figure out that Andrew had been watching him ever since the two had parted ways. Andrew was pretty sure the man wouldn't appreciate hearing that. He also heard the irritation in Heath's voice, even if the blonde haired stranger tried to hide it, but simply brushed it off as he told Heath he understood. He then asked Heath again where the materials needed were, of if there was any.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Victoria was standing in front of the window watching as the raindrops fell, some tapping on the window as if to say hello. The rhythmic sound of the rain seemed to be trying to sooth the pain she held in her heart. Where was Heath? Where was the man who might as well be her son by blood? These and a thousand questions plagued her day in and day out. She continued with her thoughts even when she heard someone enter the room.

Jarrod, who had been to town, stood not ten feet from his mother with a look of great concern and sympathy in his eyes. Heath's up and disappearing on the family had been hard on all of them: still, he was sure that, as a mother, she was having the worst time. After all, she had opened her heart up to him from the first moment the truth about his birth had been revealed. Jarrod might as well have spoken his thoughts as Victoria turned around and, looking back at him said, "None of us are hurting more than the other one; we're just hurting differently." Then, due to the fact that she saw the telegram in his hands, she asked, "Is it about Heath?"

Jarrod glanced down at the telegram in his hands and inwardly sighed. The Pinkertons Agency had such skilled men in their employ. Every day they solved crimes, found lost people and other such things. He couldn't help but wonder if they would have any success on this case. "Yes, and no," he gave his mother a small smile as he approached her and gave her a hug. "Henry Short just wanted me to know he and the men working with him haven't found anything yet." Henry was the main person Jarrod turned to when he needed some detective work done that was beyond what Jarrod could do.

"Well, it's only been a couple of weeks." Victoria squared her shoulders and did her best to sound hopeful, hard to do when the days continued to pass by with no news. "Maybe they'll find him soon or a lead anyway." She had to believe that, or she'd go crazy, Victoria was sure of it. Then, due to how moody Nick had been the past few days, nodded towards the window. "I know it's raining, but I don't suppose I can get you to go out to the stables? Nick went out there an hour ago and has not returned. I'm concerned about him."

_None of us are hurting more than the other one; we're just hurting differently. _His mother's words repeated themselves in Jarrod's mind and he gave his mother another small smile as he answered, "A little rain will do me good," He then turned and left the room, leaving his mother to go back to gazing out the window.

**~oOo~**

Nick was sitting on a bale of hay with an empty whiskey bottle in his hand, when Jarrod entered the stable. At first, Jarrod wondered how drunk his brother was, only to find the man very much sober as Nick turned and held up the bottle. "It was empty when I got here, one of the hands must have left it. Probably Ernest," Ernest was a ranch hand that had been fired that morning for continuing to show up to work drunk and unable to do his job properly.

Jarrod pulled a crate that was sitting against one of the stalls over to where Nick sat against the back wall and sat down. "Mother's worried about you." He said after an awkward moment and then fell silent, knowing it would do no good to try and force Nick to talk. Doing that would only make the man plant his feet into the ground and button his lips. As it was, Jarrod told himself that, with the look that he'd seen in his brother's eyes, the man would surprise him and say nothing for at least five minutes.

Jarrod wasn't far off, as silence fell between the two brothers for a solid three or four minutes before Nick tossed the bottle into a nearby barrel. "Funny, if the bottle had had whiskey in it, I wouldn't have been able to drink it. Doesn't make any sense ," Nick bent his right leg and rested his foot on the bail he sat on, resting the lower part of his arm on his knee while his hand hung down. He then turned his head towards his elder brother. "Why did he do it? I thought we were family. We should be able to help him with any problem he has; we're his family. He shouldn't take that right away from us." The look of sheer torment showed in Nick's eyes, causing his mother's words to ring through Jarrod's ears once more.

Jarrod couldn't agree more only Nick was preaching to the choir. It was Heath that needed to be told that, not him. "No one but Heath has the answer to that one. Let's just hope the Pinkertons find something soon." He stood up and allowed the sigh inside him to escape this time. "Please, come on inside. Mother is stressed enough without having to worry about you too."

"No," Nick shook his head, "Not until I've told you what I'm going to do first thing in the morning."

Jarrod stiffened as he knew Nick well enough to guess, basically, what he'd gotten into this head to do. For the first time in his life, Jarrod wished he had found Nick drunk instead of dead sober. "You can't go running off to Nick. Mother doesn't need to worry about you on top as well as Heath." Jarrod knew his mother was a strong woman, but even she had her breaking point, and he didn't want to be the one to see it.

"I've got to find him!" Nick stood up and bellowed angrily as he stormed away from Jarrod, stopping near the open doors. He didn't care if the wind was blowing the rain into his face.

Jarrod didn't blame Nick for exploding; in all honesty, he thought his hot tempered brother would have done it sooner. Still, he knew he had to get Nick to see reason. "Where are you going to start looking? We don't even know where he went!" Jarrod stepped up alongside his brother and kept his voice low only his tone was full of urgency. He went onto to ask Nick if he'd ever stood outside their mother's bedroom or the dining room when she thought no one was around. He asked if Nick had stopped by the orphanage and talked to Audra lately; the young woman had, at the priest's request, moved into the orphanage for a few weeks. "Those children are helping her keep her sanity when it comes to Heath, but if you up and leave? And what about Eugene? It was all I could do to convince him to stay in school." Jarrod turned sideways. "Don't take off looking for Heath unless the Pinkertons, or someone else, can at least give _us_ a starting point." He stressed the word 'us' in hopes Nick would catch the meaning behind the words. Nick did.

Nick couldn't help but give Jarrod a half hearted grin. "You're not going to be left out of the search if we get a clue, huh?"

Jarrod smiled back. "Nope, now come on, I already had my bath today." He looked at the rain and then made a dash for the house; his brother was right behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Heath stood on the edge of the porch of the cabin listening to the sounds of the night. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the man who called himself Andrew Phillips, hanging the last cupboard. Heath was both grateful and irritated. Not surprisingly the cabin had been in far worse condition that Marvin Driskell had remembered, and the extra help had been nice. Only trouble was, it also meant the man being snapped at over something that was really nothing, and having him witness a headache that dropped Heath to his knees once more. After they'd exchanged a few years, Heath had said he was ill and there was nothing that could be done. He'd then told the man in no uncertain terms that his help was not needed anymore, and that Mr. Phillips might as well leave. Heath shook his head as he remembered the incident and Mr. Phillips reply afterwards.

_"Well, at least your head will stay dry now." Mr. Phillips climbed down from the roof after Heath had descended down the ladder they'd found in the barn. That is, after Heath fixed it while his uninvited guest gathered the other materials that Andrew was able to find either laying around in open sight, half way hidden or covered up by various objects that he moved around. "Though," he said as he looked at the steps leading up to the cabin, "I'm surprised you walked up these steps without falling through them."_

_ "I'm not blind." Heath snapped harshly, and very unintentionally raised his voice. "I didn't use those things!" The moment he was through speaking, Heath wanted to hide. He'd never been snapped so loud before; it scared him, though he'd never admit that to a total stranger. He just had to get him to leave._

_ Mr. Phillips told himself he should go only problem was that by the time they'd finished with the roof he had come to the conclusion he felt compelled to watch over Heath because the blonde haired cowboy reminded him of his own son whom Andrew thought of often. The war had separated them, and he hadn't see him sense. "I never said you were or that you did, sir." Heath's uninvited guest replied as he held onto one of the posts that held the porch awning up and hoisted himself up onto the porch, which was surprisingly very sturdy. "I simply made a statement. Now," he said as he looked up at the darkening sky, "I'll sleep in the barn if you don't want me on the living room floor only I'm cooking up some beans before I bed down for the night." He always some type of food with him and, at the moment, he had some beans that he'd bought last time he'd taken the hides he got off the animals he trapped into town. _

_ Heath was more than irritated that the man was making himself at home and felt a surge of anger come over him. However, he hadn't made it a foot in the door before he was grabbing his head and falling to the floor. Mr. Phillips was beside him in a heartbeat. "What is it, son? What's the matter?" He asked as he Heath grabbed a hold of the window seal and pulled himself up, and then managed to stumble to the nearby table. All Mr. Phillips could do was watch as the man whom he'd gotten into his head to take under his wing as if he were his own son hands shook as he took out a pill box. However, when the box fell out of Heath's hands, the gentleman grabbed it._

_ "Will you take it if I give it to you?" Andrew Philips asked as he opened up the lid and took out a pill. It sounded like a stupid question to him only, after the fellow had about bit his head off, Mr. Phillips figured he'd play it safe._

_ "Y…yes," Heath managed to answer through the pain exploding in his head as the old mountain man handed him a pill, along with a cup of water…which he helped Heath hold._

_ "Thanks," Heath said once the pounding in his head went down and his hands quit shaking. He then sighed and urged the man to leave. "I am not well as you can see. It's not safe for you to be around me."_

_ Mr. Phillips shook his head. He had seen many things in his life and was beginning to put two and two together. Well, that is the basic facts he did. "You came up here to die." He sat down and made the statement rather bluntly. _

_ Heath looked at the nearby window and said nothing for a moment. Then, allowing his shoulders to sag ever so slightly, answered, "I came up here to keep some promises I made. I may or may not be dying, though the odds aren't exactly in my favor." He kept his gaze on the scenery outside the window. "There really is no need for you to stay. I'll fix the steps and I have enough supplies to last until I either pass away or survive this illness."_

_ For the hundred time Andrew Phillips could see his son sitting in front of him. The gentleman could help wonder if 'that boy' was in trouble and, if he was, who was helping him. "I don't know what promises you made and I won't stay if you flat out insist on throwing me out. However, I would like to stay. If you do pass on, someone's gonna have to give you a proper burial mister. No one should die and remain unburied for the buzzards to get." _

_ "What's your name anyway?" Heath asked, realizing he'd never asked and his visitor had never offered it._

Heath closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. Andrew Phillips had had a point and, if Heath was to be honest, he hadn't like the idea of dying without a proper burial afterwards. Though, he realized if his Andrew was going to stick around to do that job if was necessary he, Heath, would have to tell him everything….including who his family was. He had done so and then added 'If you don't want to haul my body back to Stockton, I'll understand, only, please, would you at least tell them where I'm buried? They'll have these other details by then'. Heath had gone on to explain about the attorney in Lodi and what Heath had asked of him.

"You gonna come in eat, boy, or what?" Andrew hollered through the kitchen window.

The man's innocent enough question shot a stab of indescribable pain through Heath as, for a split second; he could hear Nick bellowing for him. "Help Nick forgive me, help them all," Heath whispered as he turned and went back into the cabin. Not only did he have to eat, he figured he might as well see if Andrew Phillips could help him keep the second promise he had made to his late friend.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

"Let me get this straight," Andrew, who was standing next to the fireplace looked at Heath, "You made promises to a man by the name of Marvin Driskell when he was on his deathbed, but it's taken you how long to attempt to keep it?" he said while he stared at Heath.

Heath sat on the cot holding a cup of coffee in his hands, compliments of Mr. Phillips. Heath had just started to tell him about the second promise he'd made to his friend, Marvin Driskell; he stiffened at the implication he felt was being made by the man in front of him. "Yes, but he made it clear he was only asking me to do what he asked if I found myself in the Sierras." He wasn't about to tell the man in front of him about the circumstances of his own childhood and the fact that he was trying to find his place in the world, along with finding his family had kept him attending to his friends wishes sooner. That was none of the man's business. "Marvin and I served in the war together, ran into each other now and then afterwards. Last time I saw him…" Heath paused, took a deep breath and then said, "We were serving as deputies to a lawman by the name of Frank Sawyer. He took a bullet meant for me and…" Heath sighed as he said, "then he died within the hour after. As I just told you, I promised if I ever had cause to be up in the Sierra's I'd fix up the old cabin his father built, the one that he said he and his uncle used to use a few months out of the year and give his uncle a message from Marvin. That is, if I could actually find him. Up to now, life has just kept me too busy to make such an attempt. However…" Heath stopped and shook his head, "You've been kind enough to help me fix the cabin and are staying with me just in case." He sighed again and added, "I was hoping you knew of a mountain man by the name of Jeremiah Hansen. If you don't, that's fine. I'll start searching. The way Marvin talked, I always figured I'd work on the cabin when I wasn't looking for his uncle...and stay here while I did it."

Andrew Phillips walked away from the fireplace, crossed the floor and looked out the large of the two windows in the living room. Jeremiah Hansen, now there was a name he hadn't heard in a number of years. "I know the man, only you won't find him if you use that name in your search. He hasn't gone by his legal name in a number of years."

"Why not?" Heath asked confused and concerned. Only one reason he knew of for a man to change his name, and Marvin had sworn his uncle was a law abiding citizen.

"You tell me and we'll both know," Andrew turned and looked at Heath. "But you ain't gonna find him unless he wants ya to. Nobody ever finds him unless he wants them too."

"Have you met him? Do you know where he's at?" Heath asked, hoping it was the case. It would make things so much easier.

Andrew said nothing as he sat down next to the table, leaned back and stretched out his legs. Just as Heath was about to ask the question again the gentleman started talking. "As I said, I know him, but if he don't want to mess with ya, he doesn't. And most folks who have looked for him say it's like lookin' for a needle in a haystack. He doesn't have just one cabin like this; he has a couple and," The man waved his hand through the air and continued, "he sleeps where he wants to." He then looked at Heath with confusion in his eyes. "Just how did you expect to find him anyway?"

Heath shrugged his shoulders. "Figured I'd follow the river first, a man's got to get water sooner or later. And ride through the area," He shook his head, "You're right when you say it's like looking for a needle in a haystack, only I have to try."

Andrew was amazed. It had been a long time since he met anyone willing to take a shot in the dark the way the young man in front of him was doing. Then again, the odds of the man being around much long weren't exactly very high. A part of him thought Heath foolish to have come up into the mountains not knowing if he could find Marvin's uncle or not; the other part admired him. "I don't think you need rabies to be crazy," Andrew stood up and gave Heath a smile. "Though, I guess I'm crazy too, because I'm taking you with me as I check my traps tomorrow. You might get lucky, and he'll reveal himself to you." He then excused himself as he headed out of the cabin and towards the barn, saying he felt like sleeping outside tonight.

Heath watched as Andrew disappeared through the barn door and then sat down on the top step leading up to the porch. As he listened to the sounds of the night, Heath tried to figure out what it was about the man Andrew Phillips that was beginning to feel so familiar. He knew it wasn't because they'd ever met and he didn't recognize him name from anywhere. Yet, there was a familiarity about him that Heath could not put his finger on. "Maybe I am crazy," Heath looked up at the stars and thought about the search he'd taken upon himself. For a second he considered about not even looking at all. Only that was it. For right behind that thought he had another memory come back to him.

_ "I wanted to make peace with my uncle." Marvin looked up at Heath, who was kneeling next to the fallen deputy. "I wanted to tell him I was sorry. I wanted to tell him I was wrong. I tried to find him, went up to our summer cabin, tried to find him," Marvin had grimaced in pain and then said, "But he wasn't around. I spent two weeks searching the area, but I couldn't find him. The frustrating part was I knew he was in the area. I could feel it. Please…if you ever have cause to be in the area…" he went on to tell Heath everything he'd wanted to tell his uncle._

"Well, I have cause, Marvin. It was you that give me a longer chance at life. I wouldn't have found my family, who I really was and where I belonged." Heath leaned against the post as his friends words finished running through his head, "I need to keep this promise. I've got more than two weeks and, with Mr. Phillips with me, I just might get lucky. I might as well stick with my decision and give it a shot." He stood up, turned around and, stepping onto the porch, walked back into the cabin.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Heath and Andrew traipsed up one hill and down another, going around a number of small boulders, though more than one clump of trees and even crossed a small stream checking one trap after another. The whole time Heath was keeping an eye open for signs of any other man, something he had been doing for the past four weeks. By noon they had found a couple of animals in Andrew's traps, and Heath's feet were killing him; he needed a rest. Fortunately, Heath was spared having to ask for a break when Andrew found a shady spot underneath a tree near the river and suggest Heath sit down.

"Sorry, I know the pace we've keeping since you've been here must seem fast to you, only it ain't. Believe me." Andrew handed Heath some dried jerky and then went to the river to fill the canteen that he always carried with him. Most of the time it still had a bit of water in it when noon rolled around, but with an extra mouth it had gone faster.

"I realize that and appreciate it." Heath answered as he again glanced over the surroundings.

"I told ya before," Andrew walked away from the river, stepped over a couple of small boulders and handed Heath the canteen. "Mr. Hansen, he don't make himself known iff'n he don't want to. Best thing you can do, seein' how ya refuse to go back to your family," Mr. Phillips had tried to talk some sense into Heath only to find out just how stubborn the man could be, "is make sure yer outside every day. He doesn't have much use for men who stay indoors, or hardly leave the land they think they own."

"It's been nearly a month. How much chance do you think I have?" Heath asked as he took a swallow of water, thinking on the man he desperately wanted to talk to before he got to the point where he couldn't. That is, if he didn't beat this disease inside him.

"Man always has a chance," Andrew said after a while. "Big or small, he has one."

If Andrew Phillips thought he and Heath would have a simple lunch and then go back to trapping, he was wrong when Heath spoke again. "You said you know Marvin's uncle. Did you ever really talk to him? I mean enough to know exactly what happened between him and Marvin?" Heath usually wouldn't ask such questions considering it none of his business, only he really wanted to know all he could beforehand, should he bump into the man.

Andrew sat down on one of the large sized boulders that sat nearby and, leaning forward, rested his arms on his knees. "Why do ya ask? Didn't Marvin tell ya?" The fact that the man wondered if Heath was being honest with him could be seen as clear as the noon day sun over their head.

"No, he didn't." Heath said as his own eyes sent a message to the mountain man, one that said _'If you say I lie, we'll have it out right here and now!"  
_  
Slowly a smile crossed the older gentleman's face as he stood up. "I can't sit here talkin' all day. I'll tell you what I know as we check the rest of my traps." Andrew started walking away; Heath quickly caught up.

As the two started going up and down the hills once more, Andrew told Heath that Marvin had worked alongside his uncle, learning all about trapping. He explained how the two, along with Mr. Hansen's son, had stumbled onto what looked to be a possible gold mine.

"It wasn't." Andrew said as he ducked to miss a low hanging branch; Heath did the same. "But his uncle didn't find that out until after Marvin got it into his head to join the north when it came to the Civil War." He went on to explain that, thinking the mine as still a possibility, the two men had gone the rounds on when Marvin should actually join the fight. "His uncle had nothing against him fightin' for what he believed in," Andrew said as he bent down and reset a trap that had been tripped only to have the animal escape anyway. "He just wanted Marvin to wait a little bit, ta at least help him see if the gold could be verified first." He then told of what he called 'the biggest fight' of the century took place. "Marvin lit out after that, might not have been so bad only Marvin took his cousin with him leavin' his uncle ta do the work by himself."

"So that's what Marvin meant when he said he was wrong, and that he wished he could start over. The last words he said was 'Howard had no business bein' out there' and that 'I should have listened'" Heath stopped as they came to a small creek and knelt down to fill his canteen with water once more.

It was all Andrew could do to keep the shock he felt as he heard Heath's words from showing. "He said that?"

"Yeah, along with something else, something that I'll only repeat to his uncle, I…" Heath stopped as he heard someone approaching. Andrew, who had heard the footsteps also, whirled around prepared to shoot only to start grinning from ear to ear as a short, white haired, slightly heavy set man who looked to be a good ten years older than Andrew Phillips came into view.

"You old coot! What ya tryin' to do, get shot?" Andrew laughed as he looked over at Heath. "Heath, meet Jackson, the only man in these mountains older than the man you're looking for."

"Hello," Heath nodded as Jackson looked him over while shooting Andrew a quizzical look that lasted a split second.

"Hello," Jackson returned Heath's greeting and then looked at Andrew. "Are you aware we've had someone stealing furs from our traps? They might still be around." He wasn't surprised when shock appeared on his friend's face, nor was he shocked when Andrew exploded. The man, like anyone else, was protective of what was theirs…and any animal caught in their traps belonged to them.

"No, I wasn't." He turned to Heath, "Ya might have a bit more excitement than ya want iff'n you stay with me. You sure I can't talk some sense into you, get ya to go home to yer family?"

Heath gave Andrew a lopsided grin as he shook his head and chuckled. "Just might be worth staying around."

Jackson took a step forward. "Before I leave the two of you, mind if I talk to Andrew for a minute? In private," he stressed the words 'in' and 'private'.

Heath was more than happy to oblige and walked down the river a ways, the whole time keeping his eyes wide open…only now he kept them open not only for Marvin's uncle, but the thief, or thieves, as well.

"What's going on?" Jackson turned to his longtime friend and demanded the moment Heath was out of hearing range. "You and I both know that you are the only man that I'm older than when it comes to any of the mountain men living in this area, and he can't be looking for someone he's already with!" He looked at his friend as if Andrew had gone and lost his brains.

"He's lookin' for Jeremiah Hansen." Andrew answered in a very flat voice as he put his hands on his hips and looked in the direction Heath had gone. He had to hold in a roar of laughter as a look of utter shock came onto his friend's face.

Once Jackson got over his initial shock, he asked, "What's the story? I mean, if he's looking for you why not just tell him about that nut of an ex wife of yours? Why not tell him about the name change and see what he wants?"

"I know what he wants," Andrew rubbed his forehead, "And believe me, after what he just told me, I want ta hear everythin' only it's like this..." Andrew went on to tell his friend about Heath's condition. "If I tell him who I am right now, he'll tell me whatever the last thing is and then go who knows where. I can keep an eye on him here. I know these mountains like the back of my hand."

"His family doesn't know he came up here?" Jackson asked with a look of disbelief on his face.

"Not from what he's told me," Andrew thought a moment and then took a chance, knowing he could trust his friend. "I want you ta do me a favor." He went on to tell Jackson what he wanted and why.

After what he'd been told, Jackson wasn't surprised by his friend's request; still, he let the man know what he thought about it. "Do you know what will happen when he finds out what you've asked? And there's a high chance he will find out, you know that as well as I do."

Andrew wasn't going to deny what his friend said was true only it had to be done. "Please, just do as I ask." He said as he reinforced how important he felt it was. Finally his friend consented to do as Andrew asked.

"Just keep a close on eye him." Jackson told him. "If he does have hydrophobia or rabies as most people call it, you won't be sleeping much. I mean, he could turn on you."

_For a split second, Andrew could saw the previous night flash in front of his eyes. "I told you I wasn't going back, and it would be better if you left!" Heath had flown off the handle and turned on Andrew after the man had again tried to ask about the Barkleys. He had never once mentioned Heath going back to Jarrod or Nick, or his sister and mother, but Heath had taken Andrew's words the wrong way. Andrew had simply sat back, prepared to defend himself if he had no choice. As it was, he watched as Heath, who was unsettled at flying off the handle yet again, turned and disappeared into the bedroom. Heath didn't come out of the bedroom the rest of the night and it was a couple of hours before Andrew laid down on the cot in the living room.  
_  
"Don't worry 'bout me," Andrew smiled at his friend, "Just do as I asked." He then turned and started walking toward towards Heath, who he could see standing on the bank of the riving approximately a hundred yards away.

**A/N** Due to comments on another site, please let me clarify one thing...Andrew is NOT a man who simply ran into the mountains to hide from a lunatic of an ex wife. He has been living in the mountains FOR YEARS. He simply changed his name and started living at more than one cabin...and wherever he chose as a way to avoid the woman. That is, on the occasions she would come into the mountains. Is she still doing that or has she stopped will be come out in another chapter. I really should have clarified that one better, sorry.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Heath and Andrew continued checking Andrew's traps for the rest of the afternoon. For the most part, nothing was said between the two men. Heath was trying to get himself to relax as he hadn't had a headache all day, and he seemed better able to control any outburst that rose to the surface.

On the other hand Andrew had his mind on not only the men Jackson had talked about, the ones stealing from his and Jackson's traps, but his missing son and his late nephew as well. Glancing at Heath through the corner of his eye, as he knelt down to check on his second to last trap, which had indeed been tampered with by someone, He was having a fight with his conscience. Andrew knew that Heath had the right to know he was actually with the man he sought. Only, Andrew inwardly sighed, it was like he'd told Jackson…he just knew Heath wouldn't head home if he was given that knowledge. It was the idea of a man who was most likely dying going who knows where; doing heaven knows what, that kept Andrew from admitting everything and asking Heath to tell him everything. Well, that and the quiet blonde was making quite the impression on him, to the point that Andrew just hated the idea of the young man dying alone.

"Someone took your catch," Heath stated as he knelt down too and looked at the trap in his new friend's hands even if he did know he didn't really need to state the obvious. The trap seemed to have a couple strands of hair attached to the jaws of the rap.

"Looks like it," Andrew stood up, a look of pure disgust on his face as he looked around. Why the men simply get their own traps was beyond Andrew. He looked at Heath. The man looked as healthy as the next man. If Andrew hadn't witnessed the headaches and seen Heath fly off the handle in a fit of rage more than once, he would wonder what gave the young man the idea he had been infected and was dying. "I have one more trap to check only it's growing dark, so I won't check it until tomorrow morning. My cabin is just over the hill. Let's head there. First thing in the morning we can check the trap and then see what we can do about finding the man, or men, responsible for these thefts."

Heath wasn't about to argue. He was tired, growing hungry and wanted to rest. "Sounds like a good idea," he said, keeping his eyes open as he headed in the direction Andrew had indicated. He couldn't help it, knowing there were thieves roaming around. Any man willing to steal from another would most likely be willing to kill them. In his case, Heath told himself that might be a blessing only Mr. Philips still had a number of years in him. Heath was sure of it and he didn't want to those years shortened after the man had begun treating him like a son.

. ** ~oOo~**

"I tell you, I saw him myself!" Benjamin Matthews, a black haired, twenty-four year old stood in a cave that lay five miles from Andrew's last trp. He was actually standing up against the wall of the cave while his friend Harris Tippen, a brown haired, twenty five year old who had been born in Colorado, but raised outside Stockton, stood a few feet away. "Heath Barkley is with that old mountain man, and they know animals are being taken out of the steel traps!"

"You've been drinking or something! It's affected your eyes and thinking!" Harris growled as he sat down on some of the grayish rocks he had used to make a fire-pit inside the cave. "Heath Barkley has no reason to be up this way. He'd be on the Barkley ranch helping that loud mouth brother of his run the ranch!"

Benjamin didn't like being told he had been taking anything that would alter his reasoning capabilities. He knew who he'd seen and that Heath, along with the old man, had been inspecting the traps. "Isn't a thing wrong with my eyes or anything else for that matter! I tell you, Heath Barkley is with that old man and they will be looking for us now!"

Harris, who could see how serious Benjamin was, began to become worried. His friend was a lot of things and, more than once had his information wrong. However, when Benjamin became this insistent about anything, the man was usually right. Harris didn't like the idea that, for whatever reason, Heath was now running around with Mr. Phillips. One old man he was pretty sure they could handle should they cross paths. But the old man and Heath Barkley, he wasn't all that sure about that one. Still, as long as they didn't let themselves be seen, there'd be no reason to worry. "So, we remain calm and keep our wits about us! They don't know where we're at and they haven't seen us! Let's keep it that way!"

Benjamin still did not like it. He was sure that Heath being up in the Sierras was a bad sign. He just knew they needed to take Mr. Barkley's presence seriously, not just ignore him. He had to get his friend to see that. "It doesn't matter if they haven't seen us! They'll track us! Mr. Phillips has roamed these hills for a number of years from what I hear. And we both know Heath has done a lot of tracking himself! One, or both, of them will insist on looking around!"

Again, Harris knew his friend had a point. Even so, he didn't want to have to confront both Heath and mountain man if they didn't have to. "Just sit down and calm down!" He barked as he gestured towards the other side of the fire-pit. "We've covered up our tracks before; we can do it again!" He was more than relieved when Benjamin shut up and sat down. The last thing Harris needed was to continue to have to listen to Harris' rantings and watching the man get himself worked up over something that they could handle, if they did things right.

**A/N Just so you know, there really isn't going to be a lot of drama in this story...just a tiny hiccup. **


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

While people were hurrying up and down the boardwalks of Stockton, going to and fro on their business, Jarrod sat behind his desk looking at the simple telegram that his Pinkerton friend had sent him. **Nothing yet. Stop. Do you want us keep looking? STOP. HENRY SHORT. STOP.**

Did they want them to keep looking? Jarrod told himself that Henry was lucky he hadn't asked the question to his face. If the man had, he'd have found Jarrod asking if he'd had an accident and incurred a brain injury. Jarrod had wasted no time in answering Henry's question and then hurried to his office, needing someplace to try and relax enough to think. Now as he did just that, Jarrod sat straight up. Sure the Pinkertons hadn't found anything yet, but what was stopping him from going down to Lodi? It was the last place Heath had been seen. Maybe, with him being Heath's family, he'd have better luck in Lodi than Henry and his friends had. He knew that Nick, who he thought had left on a short round up just that morning, would be furious if he came home and found out what Jarrod had done only, if he found something, Jarrod figured Nick would eventually forgive him. He was no more than half way out of his chair when he was surprised to hear Nick knock on the door and see the man walk into the office, taking his hat off as he did so.

"I guess it's a good thing I came by when I did." Nick did his best to smile, in spite of the continued hurt in his heart, "Looks like I almost missed you."

Jarrod was puzzled as to the dark haired rancher's appearance in his office. "What are you doing still in Stockton? I thought McColl and you left this morning?" Not that he minded, having Nick with him when he went to Lodi just might double their chances of getting some information from someone.

Nick gave him a sheepish grin and answered, "McColl and Barrett asked me to let them handle the drive, said they admired how well I was handling things everything considered, as did the men. Only, it seems…" he scratched the back of his neck and hesitated to continue until Jarrod broke out in a wide grin and started laughing.

"You haven't run the men off because they can see how hard you're trying only they want you out of the hair for a few days?" Jarrod raised his eyebrows as he managed to speak through his laughter.

Nick put his hat on and shot Jarrod a look that said 'oh, just shut up. You don't have to get such a kick out of it'. "I know the Pinkerton's haven't found anything yet only what's wrong with you and me taking off for a few days. I've already talked to mother and Eugene, yes I said Eugene. He's on break from school and refuses to stay on campus with Heath missing." He wasn't about to admit Eugene had joined forces with McColl and Barrett when it came to telling him to take some time off. Jarrod could find that one out later.

Jarrod grinned even wider and told Nick what he had been thinking before Nick had entered the office. As Jarrod talked, he grabbed his jacket. By the time he was finished Nick was kicking himself for not thinking of this approach in the first place; he was also grinning wide. "About time you and I agreed on the same course of action!" Nick slapped Jarrod on the back as the two brothers headed out, determined to get some answers if at all possible.

**~oOo~**

It was dark by the time Jackson rode into Lodi, muttering as he did so. He should have been in town a good two days before only his mule had taken sick and he'd had no choice but to stop and doctor the animal. Thank goodness it hadn't been serious enough to keep the animal down for an extended period of time. As it was, as the white haired mountain man arrived at the livery stable, he had to admit the delay might actually be a good thing. If he had been able to make it to Lodi when he originally planned, Jackson would have hit town in the middle of the day…and he hated crowds. Now, he could simply put his mule in the livery stable, get a room himself and take a bath.

"Fifty cents a night!" Jackson bellowed when Lodi's brand new livery stable, a red headed fifteen year old told him how much it would be for the mountain man to keep his mule at the stable. "What's this world comin' to! I remember when I would pay someone twenty-five cents to care for my animal!" He complained as he handed the boy the money. Then, feeling guilty for his orneriness, he apologized. "I shouldn't take my frustration out on you. I'm sorry."

"No problem, sir." Lancer Mitchell had had to handle a number of rather rude customers who had never apologized. It felt good to have a customer actually do it.

"I'll be back in the morning." Jackson told him before opening the solid wood doors that kept the animals in and the wind out, and then left to get him a room. Although the apology to the boy didn't stop the old man from muttering to himself once he'd gotten out of the livery stable's help hearing range, "Guess I best be prepared to pay with my blood when it comes to a room for myself!"

As he walked towards Lodi's Boarding House, Jackson heard his friend's request once more…_"Ride into Lodi and then, after you've rested up, head to Stockton…"_ A part of him wanted to knock his friend up the backside of his head. Andrew didn't like leaving the mountainous area unless he flat out had to. Leaving meant dealing with people, and he'd never been very good at that. Oh, he did is best to be polite only, just like the incident in the livery stable, he had a way of saying what was on his mind before he took time to think…and that had caused him trouble in the past. Yet, Andrew was right, and he knew it. He just hoped Heath would understand; that is, if he survived.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

` "Where do you suggest we start?" Nick, who was sitting in Lodi's café with his brother, asked as a pretty brunette waitress brought their food to them. Nick would have tried to get her name only his mind was solely on trying to find their missing brother. Of course, he told himself the first chance he got he was coming back to the restaurant. The two had also taken a room at the boarding house, only they'd ridden in a few hours before and were already asleep by the time Jackson took the last room.

"Those contracts came from the Lazy X just outside town." Jarrod answered as he took a bite of the pancakes in front of him. "I'm hoping Mr. Reardon either knows what happened or at least heard something that might help us." He paused and then added, "He'd have had to stop by the bank too. We could stop there after breakfast."

Jarrod and Nick were so focused on talking about various people who might at least have some bit of information concerning Heath, that they didn't see Jackson enter the café. The old mountain man made his way to the only available table in the café, which just happened to be behind Nick and Jarrod's. Being that close, Jackson's attention was peaked when he heard Nick say, "All I know is I'm going to give Heath a piece of my mind when we finally find him."

Jackson continued listening even though he knew eavesdropping was considered impolite. After all, he had to make sure these men were talking about the same Heath that was with Andrew. Only when the two brothers stood up to leave did Jackson, who was still eating, spoke up without turning around. "It sounds as if you two gentlemen are talking about Heath Barkley from Stockton. If you are you I need to talk to you. That is, once I finish my food." Jackson, who was thrilled he wasn't going to have to travel to Stockton after all, wasn't about to spoil his breakfast by talking about rabies or any other illness while he was eating.

Shock waves rolled over the two brothers as they stiffened and looked at each other. This was the last thing they'd expected when they'd rode into town the day before. "You know…." Nick took a step forward only to have Jackson interrupt.

"I told you, mister. I am going to finish my food first. I'll meet you down by the livery stable once I'm through." Jackson said as he continued eating. Right or wrong, impolite or not, he _was_ finishing his breakfast before he did anything else…even before doing what he had promised Andrew he would.

Nick went to speak again, only to find Jarrod's hand on his arm and a silent pleading in his eyes. Nick's eyes glowered as he shook his head and walked out the door. A very relieved Jarrod followed him outside. The moment the café door shut behind them, Nick turned to Jarrod. "We came down here hoping to get a small clue, anything to help us get a lead to follow. How come all of a sudden I feel like we're going to feel like we've been trampled by a herd of stampeding cattle once we talk to that gentleman?"

Jarrod, who was doing his best to fight the feeling of dread that he found making its home in his stomach, shrugged his shoulders. "Let's get down to the livery stable and wait. It's all we can do for now." He turned and started walking down the street. Nick followed even if he did want to simply turn around, go back inside the café and make the old man talk.

**~oOo~**

Heath and Andrew, who had hiked up and down the hills that surrounded them over the past few weeks, keeping their eyes open as they did so, now knelt down to the third trap they'd checked that day. The first two traps had had their prey still in them…this one was empty. That would not have been a big deal only a tiny bit of fur had been inadvertently left behind when whatever animal in the trap had been removed.

"Guess those men haven't left the area as we had hoped." said Heath as he stood up. He had pushed the knowledge that he was dying out of his mind-as it was too depressing to think of leaving his mortal existence behind- said as he stood back up.

"Looks like it," Andrew spoke slowly thinking about the trouble that could be coming. As he did that Andrew could hear Heath words, one from the morning before, words spoken after he had asked Heath why he hadn't did something else with the time he had left. _"I figured every man should have his last request if possible…" _Whether the rabies would claim Heath, whether one of the thieves would or whether Heath would be surprised by surviving both, Andrew didn't know. However, he knew he needed to take the chance and confess everything. After all, the time Heath had been given was growing shorter…and there were no signs of Jackson or any of the Barkleys around. Those things, along with the sight of Heath grabbing his head yet again and falling to the ground the week before, were all the motivation Andrew needed.

"I need to talk you son," Andrew sat down on a nearby log. "And after I'm done, I pray you'll understand and stick around. I…" he lifted up the empty trap, "am going to be in need of your help." Of course, he knew he wouldn't be able to hold it against Heath if he didn't do either of the two. Still, he hoped the young man would.

Heath, who could see how serious Andrew was, sat down under a nearby tree and waited for his friend to talk.

Once he saw that Heath was listening, Andrew began speaking again. He told of his early years and how, after his parents were killed, he wandered the mountains. He spoke of meeting his wife during one of his rare trips into town. "I was twenty-eight, and she was a mere seventeen years old. Looking back on it, I think she loved me as much as she knew how only," Andrew gave a soft chuckle, "I think she accepted my proposal more out of a need to get away from an abusive mother." He went onto say how he'd taken his bride up into the mountains and how she'd borne him a son a short year later. "We had it okay, and she was a decent enough wife and mother. Well, that is, she was until our son hit fourteen. I don't know what happened, but she lost it at that point. She ran off on me and the boy, tried a number of things I won't go into. However, I will say the things I did in the past wasn't because I was spineless or afraid for myself. Everything I did was for the sake of that boy."

Heath's eyebrows had begun to turn downwards the more Andrew talked, as remnants of Marvin's tales came back to him. By the time Andrew came to the part about his ex wife and son, Heath just knew what the man was going to tell him. He was torn between furious at the man for not simply telling him who he was from the beginning to understanding that Andrew would have just cause to be wary of him at first. Now it was he who took a chance. "You're Marvin's uncle, you're Jeremiah Hansen."

Andrew gave a half chuckle, half snort and he replied. "I used to be, but that man and his son had to disappear or be destroyed by a lunatic of a woman. As far as she and the law are concerned, both Jeremiah Hansen and his son died after being mauled by a bear. Jackson helped me with that bit of trickery after two strangers had the misfortune of antagonizing a local bear. And," He paused as a twinge of sadness appeared in his eyes, "before you even wonder about it, no, we had nothing to do with it. In fact, we both tried to stop it." He paused again, stretched a bit and then continued, "I started going by Andrew Phillips and never mentioned I had a son if I happened to run into anyone. Don't ask me what my son told people if he ran into people. That is, once he hit fifteen. Before that he would simply hide if we saw someone heading our way. We had a deal that he didn't admit to having a father that was alive, and I didn't mention him. That way, we didn't have to worry about keeping stories straight. Only when he hit seventeen did he bump into Marvin by accident. It seems he had 'feelings' I was alive and wanted to live up here with me. Since that ex wife of mine never showed up, I figured he was telling the truth. Until you showed up I thought he'd kept his mouth shut to everyone." He leaned forward and spoke in earnest, "I'd like it if you left the past in the past. Jeremiah Hansen _cannot_ be resurrected. Or, are you going to tell me Marvin talked about me to others?" He leaned backwards only after Heath gave his word to keep quiet on the matter and told him that, no; Marvin had told him that he, Marvin, had never talked to anyone about his uncle until he'd taken the bullet for Heath. "Now, will you stay or will you simply tell me what my nephew had to say to me and then leave?"

Heath couldn't see himself leaving when the man _had _been watching over him, just in case, and there was at least one man, if not more, stealing from the gentleman's traps. He might as well see if he could help Andrew catch the thieves before he passed on. "I'll stay."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

While there were birds chirping in the air and the trees, and wild life wandering in the far distance making their noises, Jarrod and Nick heard none of it as they rode out of Lodi. Still in shock they rode in silence towards the base of the Sierra's. The conversation that had taken place in Lodi's livery stable, shortly before the old man who called himself Jackson had a heart attack and been taken to the doctor's, was still ringing in their ears.

_ "First off name's Jackson," Nick and Jarrod watched as the white haired gentleman started packing his belongings onto the back of his mule, "My friend, a man by the name of Andrew Phillips sent me."_

Nick, who stood just inside the livery stable next to Jarrod, was fighting to keep control of himself. The old man in front of them knew where Heath was, and Nick didn't want a long version of what was going only. He might have spoke up and said as much, but Jarrod shot him a look that said 'for goodness sake, let the man talk'!

_"Your brother is with him; however," Jackson turned away from his mule and looked sympathetically upon the two brothers, "Heath doesn't know I'm down here. I dare say he'll be madder than a wet hen when he finds out. That is, if he's…" Jackson stopped, not really wanting to be as blunt as he was known to be at times._

_ "If he's what!" Nick snapped when he saw the man hesitate only to find Jarrod's hand on his arm._

After Nick let out a soft growl and went quiet, Jarrod turned his attention to Jackson. "What's going on with Heath, sir? What should we know?" He asked the question, and then found himself holding his breath as Jackson took a deep breath and started talking.

_ "Your brother met up with an old man and his granddaughter." Jackson hesitated, but quickly continued when Nick and Jarrod acknowledged they'd met the pair when the gentleman brought his granddaughter to their home to deliver Heath's letters. Jackson went on to tell them all that Andrew had told him. By the time he was finished both Jarrod and Nick had gone from standing to sitting in shock on a couple of nearby crates._

_"I guess the doctor here couldn't tell your brother if he had contracted rabies or not." Jackson shrugged his shoulders. "He could only tell him what the symptoms were and how long he had if he had gotten the disease. And, of course, he promised Heath not to repeat anything that was said in the privacy of his office."_

"Two months, he gave Heath two months." Both brothers spoke barely above a whisper. Then, after a few minutes, Nick stood up and demanded quite loudly to know just where Heath and Jackson's friend were.

"You think we'll find him alive?" Nick asked out of the blue, as he and Jarrod drew close to the base of the mountain Jackson had said Heath and Andrew were in. "Think we'll find him in his right mind?" As upset as Nick was that Heath had not let his family help him with this burden, he also felt he could not condemn his brother. How could he when Nick knew he did not know how he'd have handled it if the shoe was on the other foot.

"I hope so," Jarrod reached into his pocket and pulled out the paper that Jackson had managed to scribble some basic information on, before the doctor had insisted his patient be left alone. Jarrod re-read the information and then put it in his pocket. They were instructions on which way Jackson thought was the best way to find to Andrew's cabin, along with the one Heath had first gone to. "I sure hope so." Jarrod had already buried a father; he had no wish to bury a brother also.

** ~oOo~**

"You're the fool!" Benjamin, who stood in the same cave he and Harris Tippen had been using since they'd entered the Sierra Mountains, held up the small animal they'd taken out of Andrew Philips's trap. "Look!" He pointed towards the lower part of the dead animal's leg. "You've left a bit of evidence behind!" He continued raging how Harris had just ruined all of his, Harris', hard work when it came to covering their tracks. "We've been doing good, leaving just enough of the captured animals alone to make those two think we had left the area. Now, they'll know better and start looking!" He then pulled out his gun and turned it over in his hand. "I guess I'll have to take care of them!" He'd no more got the words out of his mouth than Harris was knocking it out of his hands and sending him flying when he, Harris, planted his fist across Benjamin's face.

"We're not shooting them!" An evil smile came across his face. "Since they know we're still in the area, let's just make sure they catch one of us."

"HUH?" Benjamin, who had stood up, was confused. "Why on earth would we do that?"

Harris, who had little patience as it was, wanted to hit his partner again only he didn't. He needed him. "There's a rumor that the old man knows where a gold mine is. Yes," He held up his hand as Benjamin looked as if he were going to say something, "I know. It's just rumor and, I admit, if I actually believed it, I'd have gotten to the old man before now. Only, we might as well see if it's true."

"And Barkley?" Benjamin looked skeptical. "Why spare him? There's something going on with him; I just know it." There had to be for the blonde haired cowboy to still be in the area.

"He's a Barkley!" Harris barked as he walked towards the entrance to the cave. "He's worth a lot of money!"

"Kidnapping! Are you crazy? Killing both of them outright, with no witness, keeps us out of prison and away from the gallows. Kidnapping opens us to possible witnesses and the law!" Even Benjamin was bright enough to see those facts.

"It's worth the risk." Harris turned, looked at Benjamin and then began laying out his plan.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Jarrod and Nick stood on the porch of the old cabin Marvin and his uncle had built. They could tell from the difference in the wood used for the steps and the wood which was used for the porch that work had been done on the place. "It would seem as if Jackson's friend was honest with him about this cabin." Nick said as he knocked on the door.

"I don't think anyone is here." Jarrod mused, as he glanced though the window. The "curtains" Andrew had put up were actually old burlap sacks, and they weren't drawn shut. He stared as Nick tried the door handle and the door opened.

"You know if that Phillips fellow catches us in here, Nick, he could get us with trespassing." Jarrod made the statement as he followed his brother inside.

Nick knew that, but simply shrugged his shoulders as he began searching for any evidence Heath was, or had been, in the cabin. He also desperately needed to know that there was still a chance their blonde haired cowboy was doing just that. Walking into the kitchen, Nick began opening the cupboards. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the tin plate and cup that Heath always used when he went camping. Nick knew they belonged to his blonde haired brother because towards the bottom of the mug Heath's name had been engraved. "He's here or been here." Nick said as he slowly took the items out of the cupboard.

Jarrod, who stood next to the cot that sat in the living room, held up the light blue blanket that had been lying on the cot. A look of both hope and pain could be seen in his eyes as he said, "Audra gave this to Heath a few months ago. I know because she had to fix this corner and had to use black thread to do it."

"I'm looking through the rest of the cabin." Nick said as he quickly put the cup and plate back in the cupboard and then disappeared into the bedroom. Jarrod continued looking around the living room. Jarrod found the small picture of the Barkleys Heath always carried with him; it was sitting on a shelf that was nailed on the wall not far from the cot. By the time the two brothers finished searching the cabin they both had the same question on their mind. Was the cabin still being used by both Jackson's friend and Heath or just Andrew?

Nick hurried out of the cabin and went around the corner intending to go to the barn and look around there, only to stop in his tracks as he saw a cross marking a grave not two hundred feet from the back of the cabin. "NOOOO! PLEASE, NO!" Nick screamed inside himself as he started running for the marker. Jarrod, who had hurried to see what had made Nick move so fast, felt the color drain from his face when he saw where Nick was heading. He wasted no time in catching up with Nick.

"Who is it?" Jarrod called out when Nick stopped in front of the mark.

Relief flooded over Nick as he stopped running and read the words on the cross. "KENDALL. C. DRISKELL; January 3, 1820 TO MAY 7, 1848. "It's not Heath." Nick took a deep breath and assured Jarrod as he turned to face his older brother, who had caught up with him.

"Thank heavens," Jarrod let out a deep breath as he waited for his heart to drop back into place. "Well, we can ride around, following the instructions Jackson gave us." The old man had given them the locations that held his and Andrew's traps. Jarrod kept his eyes moving from side to side, surveying the nearby hills and tall majestic trees as he spoke. He was watching for any sign of Heath or his mountain friend. "We might be able to find them, or…" he shrugged his shoulders, "We can stay here and wait."

Even though the sound of simply waiting at the cabin sounded tons easier than starting a search that would, according to Jackson, cover a fifty mile radius, Nick couldn't shake the feeling that he and Jarrod needed to mount up and start searching. "I didn't come this far to sit around and wait for Heath to show up." Nick answered as turned and headed back towards the cabin, grateful they still had a chance of finding his blonde haired brother alive. Soon he had mounted Coco.

Jarrod smiled. He couldn't agree more. In no time at all, he too mounted his horse and joined Nick in the continued search for their missing brother.

** ~oOo~**

The sun beat down upon Andrew, as he and Heath stood halfway up a hill not three miles from Mr. Phillip's cabin. The trap they stood next to was empty, but this time there were tracks leading away from it. "Looks like they got careless this time," Heath stood up and looked towards the south; the direction the tracks were heading.

As much as Andrew, who had not been happy when he and Heath had been distracted earlier, wanted to follow the tracks he wanted to hear what his nephew had wanted to tell him first. He said as much too, as he leaned against the nearest tree. "If I'm to keep my mind where I need it to be, you might as well tell me everything before we go after this thief." Since there were only one set up tracks, both Andrew and Heath were assuming they only had one man to worry about.

Heath gave nodded and leaned sat on a small boulder that sat nearby, fiddling with a small twig as he did so. "As I said, he wanted you to know he was wrong. He said he never should have talked your son into going with him. However, when it comes to that gold mine you were mentioning," Heath wasn't surprised when the man stepped away from the tree and stiffened. "He said as Howard and he left they passed stumbled across another possible mine. They would have simply come back to you and told you only they'd already signed papers enlisting. They didn't want to be labeled deserters and had no choice but to continue their journey." Heath went on to tell Mr. Phillips where the possible mine was. "Don't know if there's any gold in it or anything, but you might check it out sometime." He paused and then said, "He also felt horrible that he lost track of your son during the war. He always hoped that Howard had made it back to you."

Andrew shook his head. "I never saw him again." He shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "I looked into the matter and found out was that he was listed as missing in action. Later, when Jackson returned from one of his rare trips off the mountains, he told me he'd met an army officer." Andrew sighed and said, "The army officer said he had found Howard's body at a prisoner's camp, and that my son was dead. Now, as much as I'd like to check that mine out," he said as he turned his attention back to the tracks, "I'd say we have a thief to catch first."

Heath felt horrible for Andrew only there wasn't anything that he, Heath could do about the past. However, he could stick by his current promise to help Andrew. Soon he and Andrew were following the tracks they had found.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Heath was sure he had ducked more tree branches, gone around more boulders and crossed the same small creek a thousand times before, he and Andrew finally stopped for a rest.

"Whoever the thief is he'll be heading into Jackson's territory after he checks my last trap. That is, if he continues on the path he appears to be on." Andrew spoke up as he gestured in the direction in front of them. "My stomping grounds, as it were as it were, end within the next three miles; though, I often help Jackson with his traps."

Heath frowned, as he thought on the conversation he and Andrew had had the night before. _Jackson is known to leave the mountains this time of the year; he has to get his supplies stocked back up. _Those had been Andrew's exact words. "I thought you said he wasn't around right now."

"He's not, unless he's made it back. Though," Andrew shook his head and continued walking, "I can't imagine that being the case. He'd have contacted me if he had. Still, he has traps set out. I always check on them for him when he leaves the mountains. He does the same for me…on the rare occasions I actually leave." He wasn't about to say that Jackson would have contacted him the moment he got back to let Andrew know Jackson had fulfilled the request made of him. Otherwise, the man would put up his supplies first and checked traps as he looked for Andrew.

"Well, if we don't want you or your friend to lose whatever catch there is, we'd best find…." Heath stopped speaking as he looked off to his left. He could see a man kneeling next to a trap that was set roughly one hundred yards away. However, due to the trees he and Andrew were in, Heath knew the gentleman could not see them.

"Why the no account rascal!" Andrew snapped quietly and then motioned Heath to follow him, mouthing 'quiet' as he did so. Heath, who had done his fair share of having to be quiet when he trailed somebody, did not argue as he followed Andrew. The man was making his way closer to their unwelcomed guest, using the trees and small boulders as cover.

As they got closer Heath recognized the man and swore under his breath. Not knowing the cause of Heath's cursing, Andrew turned to see if something more serious was going on with the man he'd taken under his wing.

"I'm fine." Heath whispered to him. "I just know who our visitor is." He gave a quick summary of their visitor and the way the man felt about Heath and his parentage.

"Man has no brains," Andrew said as he held his rifle in a position to use it if he had to, and then stepped from behind the trees with Heath right beside him.

Benjamin, who had been waiting, smiled to himself as Andrew barked at him to slowly stand up. He did as he was told, holding his hands up as he did. "No need to get upset." He said as he turned around to face the two men. "I was just l looking."

"Hogwash!" Andrew glared at the man, a small portion wanted to ask the man just how stupid did he think he, Andrew, was. "You were getting ready to take the animal for yourself."

Benjamin again feigned innocence, as he moved his hands back and forth while keeping his arms still. "You've got that wrong old man. I came up here simply to camp out and happened across the trap. Though, I admit I was trying to figure out if there was a way to free the poor animal. I just hate seeing them killed like this."

For the first time since being bitten, Heath actually wished a fit of rage would come over him. Then he'd have a defense to use when someone asked why he beat the man to a pulp. "You're lying through your teeth!" Heath spat. "It's just like Andrew said; you were out to steal his prey from him!"

"Actually," a voice behind him had both Andrew and Heath stiffening up. "He was just looking. Now drop your guns." Slowly Andrew and Heath did as they were told. "Now step aside!" Again they did as they were told. Once they did, Harris walked into their line of sight. Andrew shot Heath a look that asked if he knew this gentleman as well. Heath silently answered no.

"What do you want? We don't have anything of value." Heath spoke up as Benjamin leaned over and picked up the guns from the ground, keeping his gun pointed at Heath and Andrew. Both Heath and the mountain man realized they'd been set up.

Harris laughed and then snarled. "Not up here you don't, but your family does." He laughed at the startled look that came upon Heath's face. Only his heart skipped a beat even more when the man looked at Andrew and said, "and you old man will take us to that mine I've heard about. And don't tell me there's no gold in it! I won't fall for that lie!"

"You may not fall for it as you say," Andrew spat his words out; "Only it's the truth. I haven't tried to get any gold out of that old thing since before the war ended!"

Harris was furious. Sure, he knew he'd been going on rumors, only he'd hoped what he'd heard was true. Then again, maybe they were true and the old man was simply not acknowledging it. "Tell me where it's at, and we'll see about that!"

Andrew was no idiot. He knew the moment he did that they'd shoot him, probably shoot him anyway. Well, if the man was going to do that, Andrew wasn't going to hand him anything…not even an old, worthless mine. "If you can find it, it's yours!" He snapped back.

Harris, now even more furious than before, started to pull the hammer on his rifle back, only to get the shock of his life. Another voice boomed through the air, causing the branches of the trees to shake and the leaves to drop to the ground out of fear. **"DROP IT, MISTER!"**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Benjamin, Harris and their captives all stared as, after dropping their own guns and turning around, Nick and Jarrod stepped out from behind the trees. "Where did you come from?" Harris yelled as he took a step forward only to be stopped by Jarrod's gun and Nick's fist. The thief was disgusted at being robbed of the chance to get some money out of the Barkleys.

"Stockton; thought you knew that," Nick answered sarcastically as he stepped away, not caring about being polite or cordial to the gentleman in front of him. "Now move away from my brother and his friend!" He demanded, suppressing a chuckle when the thieves quickly did as they were told. In a matter of seconds Andrew had their guns.

Heath, who had recovered from the shock of hearing Nick's voice and seeing him and Jarrod step out of the trees, looked at his brothers. "What are you…" He never finished his sentence as the worst headache to hit him yet had his eyes rolling and his teeth clenched. He let out a grunt as he grabbed his head and fell to the ground. Benjamin and Harris's eyes widened in total shock and fear as they started to move backwards, only to have Andrew bark at them to stop or be shot. The fear that the mountain man might actually shoot them got the two scoundrels to do as he said.

The moment Heath had dropped to his knees, Nick slid his pistol back into its holster and flew to Heath's side, only to have Heath scream and push him away. "No, you don't!" Nick barked as he lurched forward and grabbed Heath, who had tried to roll away from him. It was all Nick could do to keep Heath pinned down as his younger brother thrashed in pain.

Heath, terrified he'd hurt Nick, managed to break loose and grabbed onto a boulder. As he struggled to lift himself up, Nick again took a hold of him. Keeping a tight grip on Heath, Nick started helping the blond cowboy kneel up. It wasn't easy as Heath was still attempting to thrash around, trying to still get away from Nick.

"There are pills in his pocket! They help with those episodes!" Andrew yelled, as he kept his gun on the thieves who were still staring at the sight in front of them.

Jarrod, who had also flown to Heath's side, found the pills and pulled them out. By that time Nick had managed to wear Heath down enough that Jarrod could get even closer. "Here," Jarrod slid the pill into Heath's mouth and gave him a drink from the canteen that he had on him.

`"You w…aren't sup…pose to see me l…ike this." Heath, still held firmly in Nick's arms, stammered through the pain in his head and once he completely quit fighting to get away from his brothers. The blonde haired cowboy, who realized the only reason for his brothers to be up in the Sierras was if they knew the truth of his situation, spoke just above a whisper. "Y…you weren't s…supposed to be here." Heath managed to tilt his head up enough to look into Nick and Jarrod's eyes, not easy to do with Nick still behind him.

Nick and Jarrod glanced at each other. Each silently acknowledged what Heath was not saying. Heath might have found his family, but he had not yet been with them long enough to fully realize he could turn to them for anything, anything at all….even the support he desperately needed now. "Well, we are here and we're not going anywhere." Nick spoke as his voice cracked ever so slightly as he moved to Heath's side, keeping Heath in his embrace as he did so. "Well, I'm not anyway. Jarrod's going to have to help your friend take these two hooligans to the law and wire the family before coming back here, but I'm stayin' with you. That is, if we can't convince you to come home. And, if you need me, I'll never be more than one step away from you. Once Jarrod rejoins us he won't either. I promise you that much."

"He's got that right, Heath." Jarrod backed up what Nick had just said. "We're family." Jarrod continued speaking as he kept one eye on his anxious blonde haired brother and one on the men who had thought to make a profit from Heath and his mountain friend. He then repeated, basically, what Nick had said in the barn. "We're not turning our backs on you."

Heath, who hadn't realized just how uptight he'd been until he felt the comforting embrace of the hot tempered rancher and heard both his brothers' words, found a couple of tears escaping… even if he had tried to hold them back. It only served to make it so Nick tightened his grip, though not so much as to hurt Heath. "Thanks," he gave Jarrod and Nick a crooked smile; it made both his brothers smile back.

Jarrod stood up and looked at Andrew. "Ready to get these men to the law?"

"More than ready," Andrew glared at the men as he and Jarrod led the men away.

Nick helped Heath up to his feet once his brother started to attempt to stand up. "How did you know where to find me?" Heath asked after he was on his feet and a few awkward moments of silence had passed.

After all Andrew had done for Heath, and after he'd sent Jackson to find them, the last thing Nick wanted was to get Andrew in trouble with Heath. So, right or wrong, he left out a few details as he said, "We ran into Jackson in the Lodi café. He realized who we were and told us. But," he said as an annoyed looked appeared in Heath's eyes. "Don't get upset with him. He was concerned for Andrew, the same as Jarrod and I'm concerned about you. Now, I was serious. You have two more weeks to go, and I'm not leaving you. Here or in Stockton, I'll be stickin' to you like *glue!"

Heath couldn't help but give Nick a small crooked smile. He'd always known in his head his family was something else, but his brother's words and actions were driving it into his heart. Though, it didn't change his mind about going back to Stockton. He shook his head and spoke quietly, "Right or wrong, Nick. I can't go back to Stockton."

While Nick thought Heath should come home, he had meant what he said; besides, he figured Heath was still trying to protect the rest of the family. "Fine," he nodded in the direction he and Jarrod had come from. "Let's get back to the cabin then. We both need a rest."

"Yes, sir," Heath jokingly threw a two finger salute Nick's way. Since the gesture was followed by a lopsided grin, Nick didn't worry about it. He simply headed for the cabin. It only took a split second before Heath was walking right alongside his dark haired brother.

**A/N Due to a comment made elsewhere, I want to apologize for my failure include the fact that Jarrod and Nick talked about who was going to go with Andrew and who would stay with Heath. I WAS thinking it...just somehow left it out. I am not about to rewrite the chapter at this point however. So..again, I am sorry for my failure to do that.**


	17. Last chapter and Epilogue

Chapter Seventeen

Heath was sure every star in the heavens had poked their heads through the night sky, as he sat down on the steps leading to the cabin.

True to his word, Nick stepped out seconds later and sat down on a chair that sat in the corner of the porch. Jarrod was asleep in the bedroom. When he woke up, Nick would go to bed. That was the arrangement they'd come up the after Jarrod hard returned, something he'd done sooner than expected.

"_We ran into a two US Marshalls. It seems like they were looking for that Harris fellow." _Jarrod had told his brothers when he'd walked into the cabin and surprised them._ "Andrew went back to his main cabin. He'll see us later."_

Nick watched as Heath rolled a cigarette. It had been a week and a half since he and Jarrod had found Heath; the quiet cowboy who had fought his way into the family, and so far there had been no headaches or fits of rage. Three more days to go, Nick was becoming more and more sure Heath was going to prove to be an exception to the rule; the blonde haired cowboy would survive. Nick just knew Heath would. However, there had been nightmares to deal with, ones that had Heath sitting straight up and screaming the word 'no'. This was one of those times.

Heath had had one and had come outside to try and relax while Jarrod, who had been woken up early, had gone back to bed, and Nick ran the past ten minutes over in his mind.

"_I killed you." Heath, shivered, perspiration dripping from his forehead he opened his eyes to find Nick holding onto him, telling him to wake up. Jarrod, having awoke to Heath's screams, stood at the foot of the cot. "I went mad and killed both of you and then went to Stockton. Mother, Audra and Eugene were all crying and asking me how I could do such a thing." Heath shuddered as he whispered quietly, "And… then… I turned on them too."_

_Sympathy for their brother showed on Nick and Jarrod's faces. Nick shook his head as he slowly let go of Heath and backed away. "It was a dream, Heath, a very bad dream. All of it, we're still here, and the family is waiting for us in Stockton."_

_Heath swung his legs off the cot and sat up. Looking at Jarrod and Nick, he couldn't help but realize once again just how blessed he truly was. "I'm going outside." When Jarrod started to object, Heath assured him he wasn't running off. "You can go back to bed." _

"_Go," Nick looked at Jarrod, who looked as if he thought he should go ahead and stay up, and nodded towards the bedroom. "We had a deal. Besides, you've only had an hour of sleep. Please, don't argue with me. I'll sit with him."_

_Jarrod watched as Heath opened the front door and stepped outside, before he turned and disappeared back into the bedroom...but not before letting Nick know how furious he, Jarrod, would be if he, Nick, didn't call out of him if there was a problem. Nick followed Heath outside._

"You could have stayed inside." Heath said as he lit his cigarette, though he kept his face forward. While he still greatly appreciated his brother's presence, Heath was feeling guilty about the burden he felt Nick and Jarrod had taken upon themselves.

Nick, who seemed to read his mind, growled, "I could've, but I ain't. You're stuck with me and Jarrod, boy. And," he leaned slightly forward, "I told you not to blame yourself for anything except for takin' off on us. Don't ever do that to us again!" He threw a silent, but gentle, glare Heath's way when he turned his face towards Nick. "Like I told you after we both got some rest under our belts, I'd much have rather have known up front what had happened; we all would have. Not knowing was worse than anything we could go through."

"I heard you the first time." Heath said quietly as he turned his face forward again. "And like I told you; I thought about going home more than once. I thought about telling all of you. Only problem was, not only did I have promises to keep, but I was terrified I'd kill one of you. That fear only grew as the headaches and fits of rage started coming. As hard as I tried, I just couldn't risk it." He turned to face Nick once more; his brother had tilted the chair he was using backwards, resting the head of the chair against the brown logs of the cabin. "Tell me, if you'd been the one to be bit? What would you have done?"

The pleading look that Nick could see in Heath's eyes cut through the very center of Nick. For a moment Nick remembered how he'd realized he couldn't judge Heath. Also, heaven knows he'd have had the same fears and concerns Heath had had, even if he didn't have any promises to keep. Finally, he let out a long drawn out sigh and admitted he had no clue. "Maybe I'd have run too, don't rightly know. But, after this, I can say if anything similar ever happens to me, I'll make sure I turn to the family." He paused and asked in an uncharacteristic low volume. "You still mad at Andrew?" Not knowing Nick hadn't said anything to Heath, Andrew had approached Heath a few hours before and asked Heath if he could forgive him.

"No, a bit annoyed, but not mad. He's a good man. Too bad he had the bad luck of gettin' hold of a bad apple." Heath answered, referring to Andrew's ex wife. "Well, he dropped his cigarette and ground it into the dirt below his feet, "Guess I best get back to bed." He stood up and went back into the cabin. Nick remained outside for a moment before he too stood up and disappeared into the cabin.

**Epilogue**

Heath once again stood outside looking up at the stars in the sky only this time he was star gazing at them from the verandah. He, Nick and Jarrod had bade Andrew goodbye after promising to keep his secret, traveled to Lodi to wire the family and then continued riding until they arrived home.

"Good to have you back!' 'Glad you're okay!' and "Land sakes! Don't go pullin' that stunt again!' were just some of the words Heath had heard as he and his brothers had ridden through the gate. Of course, he'd had to put up with Audra laying into him and giving him the riot act before she hugged the stuffing out of him, something Eugene was sure to do when he showed up. Jarrod had sent him a wire after going into his office in Stockton. When he heard the sound of a skirt swishing back and forth, Heath was sure Victoria, who had been at the orphanage when he got home, was the one joining him on the verandah. It was.

Victoria stopped beside the son of her heart if not of her blood and said nothing at first. Heath found himself holding his breath and she slowly turned to face him. The few tears he could see in her eyes shook him up. Standing just as tall as she could, Victoria began talking. "Jarrod and Nick talked to me; they told me everything. I don't know whether to hug you with all I've got or to slap you upside the head." There was both love and frustration in her voice, something Heath understood.

"I won't stop you if you want to slap me." Heath gave her a half smile. Not that he really wanted that, only he figured, after weeks of having no clue to why he'd left or where he was, Victoria had the right.

_"You and that blasted crooked smile! Out of all the things you had to inherit from your father… why did that have to be one of them?" _Victoria thought as she shook her head and reached out and gave her stepson the biggest hug she could. Afterwards, she stepped back and began giving him the lecture of his lifetime. By the time she was through, Heath wished she had just slapped him and gotten it over with.

"Now, young man," Victoria continued speaking sternly, though the glare that had been in her eyes softened, "Promise me within an inch of your life, you will come to us if anything else happens? Promise me you won't run away. We're always here for you."

Heath's crooked smiled widened as he made the promise.


End file.
